John S. Kleven

August 28, 1927 - March 16, 2022

SAN DIEGO — John Kleven, a longtime San Diegan, passed away on March 16, 2022.

An only child, John was born in Chicago in 1927. In 1937, as the Great Depression continued, his mother and stepfather sought a new life in Lake Elsinore, Calif. He recalled getting his first pair of Levi’s after the kids at school teased him about his Chicago short pants.

The family moved often, something John always said he regretted as he never had the chance to make close friends. That changed when he settled in San Diego and nurtured friendships that endured for eight decades.

John completed his Navy basic training at what is now Liberty Station in Point Loma. He served as a radio operator during WWII and the Korean War, and could still speak rapid-fire Morse code until his final days.

A graduate of San Diego State, John met his wife, Faith, at the Balboa Park Golf Course in the early 1950s. They married in 1957 and welcomed their daughter, Robin, in 1958. After he retired, he could often be found at the course, arriving before dawn with his buddies and teeing off promptly at 6:30 a.m.

John always said you could judge someone’s character by their handshake and whether they counted all their strokes on their scorecard. He was active in local golf organizations and proudly served as a marshal at the U.S. Open tournament in Torrey Pines.

One of John’s early jobs was as a repo man, something he approached with such compassion that he occasionally ended up buying a beer for the fellow whose keys he had to confiscate. He enjoyed a lengthy career as a stockbroker, fondly recalling the days of actual ticker tapes and playing on such illustrious softball teams as the Hutton Hogs and the Reynolds Rats.

John had an incredibly quick wit, a love of language and a sense of humor that embraced W.C. Fields, Jonathan Winters and the Marx Brothers. He adored traveling with Faith and meeting new people; loved trains; and was a longtime supporter of Jazz 88.3 FM. He was unfailingly positive even as his health declined in recent years.

John is survived by his daughter, Robin Kleven Dishon, and son-in-law, John Dishon. In a final act of generosity, he donated his body to UCSD Medical Center.

Love you and miss you, Dad.

Please sign the Guest Book online obituaries.sandiegouniontribune.com